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Why is there is a https://stackoverflow.com/ (home-page) and https://stackoverflow.com/questions?

The question is not what is the difference between both URLs, which anyone can see but why. That is, whenever I log into the site I have one single purpose, see if there is someone facing a difficult, in an area or subject which I can help.

Currently /question is the place to go for me. Instead, I think, /question should be the home page. and all other "top of the week"/"best of the month" should move aside.

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  • You should have been clearer in your initial question.
    – random
    Commented Nov 6, 2009 at 8:28
  • @random, the why was there at the first place. besides, someone edited this question making it sounds like a dumb a*s question.
    – Tzury Bar Yochay
    Commented Nov 6, 2009 at 12:15

3 Answers 3

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The home page has a few different things on it such as badges recently awarded etc - and the most active questions for the week/month (instead of options to sort by time and votes).

I suspect the simple reason is:

  • The site isn't just questions. It's also tags, badges, and users. It therefore makes sense to have a /questions URL stem when looking at a specific question, and also when just looking at questions.
  • You obviously need to have something at the home page too.

Personally I very rarely look at the home page. It might make some sense for the home page and the questions page to be the same, but it's not really a problem IMO.

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The /questions page gives you more sorting options, plus a preview of question content.

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  • Not more, just different - you get "votes" and "newest" instead of "week" and "month" :)
    – Jon Skeet
    Commented Nov 4, 2009 at 6:29
  • I would argue that "week" and "month" aren't sorting options. :)
    – Greg Hewgill
    Commented Nov 4, 2009 at 6:35
  • I'd argue otherwise. From reference.com: "To separate from others" (AHD). :)
    – GZipp
    Commented Nov 4, 2009 at 15:07
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That is, whenever I log into the site I have one single purpose, see if there is someone facing a difficult, in an area or subject which I can help.

Yeah, but not every body shares that same single scheme! Some cats gotta know what's hip, what's hot, what's going on in the world - and the home page makes that happen!

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